NEW DELHI: India will tell Sri Lanka that it has a definite interest in helping the island nation take on reconstruction and will be actively engaged in helping Colombo.

This will be the essence of the message that foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and national security adviser M K Narayanan will give to President Mahinda Rajapaksa when they meet him on Wednesday during a day-long visit, the first after the LTTE was militarily crushed.

With a greater engagement in Sri Lanka, not hampered by the complications of an LTTE presence, India ultimately hopes to counter the growing presence of China in its southern neighbourhood. Over the past few years, China has stepped in as one of Colombo's
largest defence suppliers after India found itself constrained from giving offensive weaponry and other defence assistance to Sri Lanka for the current conflict.

Blog: The Chinese think big, we don't

Naturally, China took advantage of such an opening to expand its influence, seeking and getting a valuable port, Hambantota, in the Indian Ocean.

The government's position and its agenda for talks on Wednesday was shared with Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi who visited the PM on Tuesday.

After the heat of the elections, Karunanidhi's stand on Sri Lanka has been measured, say sources. This will help India expand its role in Lanka in the months and years ahead.

What India will initially be looking for are some quick steps that can be taken by the executive in Colombo ï¿½ mainly in relief and rehabilitation of the displaced Tamils. India would also be looking for a kind of statement on the future of the Tamils and how Sri Lanka plans to integrate them into the mainstream. Rajapakse did not give a roadmap in his speech to parliament on Tuesday but India will tell him that this would go a long way in getting the international community on his side.

For the present, the international imperative is to assist the Sri Lankans to set up relief and rehabilitation centres for the thousands of displaced persons. India is moving its hospital to Vavuniya and rotating its doctors who have been on duty for over a month now. In addition, India will be sending material for 5,000 shelters which will house about 25,000 people.

The devolution of powers to Tamils itself will take a while because Rajapakse doesn't control the parliament in its present composition. The likes of JVP and other Sinhala nationalist parties will not allow him to work out a generous devolution package even if he wants to. Therefore, Indian officials believe he could actually go in for early elections to get a fresh mandate riding the victory wave.

Therefore, China is liked by all repressive regimes since China allows them to foist themselves as 'government'.

India, being a democracy, does not have the same immorality as China.

Therefore, it is not surprising that China is making a presence around the world where repression is the key to success.

Their attitude in Tibet and Xinjiang is an example where they don't even care for what they call are their own people.

It is a rank falsehood propounded by them that Tibet and Xinjiang have benefited economically etc. It is not that the indigenous people who have benefited, it is Chinese Hans who have come there who have benefited.

The Chinese have ensured that those who know Mandarin alone can benefit and hence have opened educational institutions that are only Mandarin exclusive. Thus, those who wish to succeed have to learn this language.

The Muslims in Xinjiang are not allowed in the Mosques unless they are 18 and the sermon is checked by the party apparatchik before being said. The clergy of all religion have to be approved by the CCP! One does not have to state the repression of the Buddhist monks and their religion in Tibet since we are all aware.

Therefore, a nation that does not care for its own people, could not care less if other nations suppresses its people!!

India has been lankas friendly neighbour from time it has got independence.But like all small countries they had been idolising India.The spy groups of India`s known enemies have tried and suceeded in turning some of their leaders bit against us time to time but it has been always brought under control.
Pakistan and china are trying hard to make srilanka into their group of asides like they have done to Bangladesh and Nepal.China wants to complete its string of pearls around us by adding lankans in their pockets.While pakistan wants an easier passage group for its terrorists as all other ways of entering our nation has been sealed or under careful watch by our brave jawans.The offers they are putting forth has been economic loan ,building of harbour,in civil war supplies of offensive weapons to lankan army (As India refused to give offensive and gave defensive weapons).

The good will created by india on lankan tamils should be properly utilised by us.

We should provide economic package and ensure tamils gets their rights as told by their premier.

Possible humanitarian relief works should be deployed ASAP

Ensuring Regional parties in India doesnt go over fence about this war.

Prevent Any terror roots that may grow from killing of LTTE to grow from within India

India has lost a lot of ground because of it's own internal political compulsions. It's not going to be easy to undo all that has happened between India and Sri Lanka in a negative manner and the positives between China and SL.

The main point of contention in the future is going to be the port China is building. China will not let go of it and already established it's presence there. How will India counter that?

The Tamil issue was the cause of SLs drift towards China. So I dont see how India can use the Tamils to further its cause in SL.

China is getting cozy with anyone who it can influence and see a potential ally. It has tried to do that to all Indian friends. China wants a foot hold there as India is already there and has made a port there. Chhabar right at the mouth of the Hormuz is a point of worry for the Chinese and therefore it will take all steps to neutralize any Indian threat coming out of that port.

The Muslims in Xinjiang are not allowed in the Mosques unless they are 18 and the sermon is checked by the party apparatchik before being said. The clergy of all religion have to be approved by the CCP! One does not have to state the repression of the Buddhist monks and their religion in Tibet since we are all aware.

Therefore, a nation that does not care for its own people, could not care less if other nations suppresses its people!!

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I agree entirely that kids at the age of less 18 should be not allowed to be "educated " by any religion .

Kids have no ablity to tell "good" and "bad" and are very easy to become the tools of cults and evil religion.

PLS check the "Suicide bombers" in India and MD,then you find that many "Suicide bombers" are kids manupalated by religions.

Taliban is so polular also because religion control the edcuation of young kids.

In India, teenagers are not called kids, they are called adoloscents. At that age, they take a call in deciding a career for themselves, and they do according to their own wish helped off course by friends and family. They are encouraged to do what they want.

But then in China you dont know what freedom is so its not expected from you to allow your "kids" to do what they want.

In India, teenagers are not called kids, they are called adoloscents. At that age, they take a call in deciding a career for themselves, and they do according to their own wish helped off course by friends and family. They are encouraged to do what they want.

But then in China you dont know what freedom is so its not expected from you to allow your "kids" to do what they want.

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at least we needn't worry that our "teenagers" become "succide bombers" manuplated by "Mullas"

The LTTE and India's past history with the org was the biggest albatross around our neck.Every time we intended to raise the Tamil issue with the Lankan,we would be branded as pro LTTE and since these two were inseparable,we had to stay away from the crisis.

The defeat of the LTTE has opened the door for return of Indian influence in Sri Lanka.the LTTE is no longer an excuse and the Sinhalese govt will require India's support if needs to engage the Tamil minority in the political process.the two major parties that represent the Tamils in lanka,TNA and TULF,are extremely pro India(Indian bankrolled and sustained these parties against the threat these parties faced from the govt and the LTTE)

Even as we speak India has already started to actively engaging all the key parties in the post LTTE phase.Infact i wont be surprised in some at the south block was saying 'Thank You China'

I agree entirely that kids at the age of less 18 should be not allowed to be "educated " by any religion .

Kids have no ablity to tell "good" and "bad" and are very easy to become the tools of cults and evil religion.

PLS check the "Suicide bombers" in India and MD,then you find that many "Suicide bombers" are kids manupalated by religions.

Taliban is so polular also because religion control the edcuation of young kids.

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It depends In fanatics countries and in countries without any freedm people tend to get easily manipulated.Where as in a free secular nation kids have lots more to think (including abt opposite gender:l_kissthan going out and blowing themselves.

It depends In fanatics countries and in countries without any freedm people tend to get easily manipulated.Where as in a free secular nation kids have lots more to think (including abt opposite gender:l_kissthan going out and blowing themselves.

badguy 2k get over it and stop acting like an oxymoron as for the terroism in india the Northeast and maoist thugs are supported by your Commie bosses and the Thugs in kashmir are supported by you higher than the hills and deeper then Lake friend pakistan and for the record PRC is the eptimem of state terror